Refrigerator car construction



Patented Mar. 10, 1942 REFRIGERATGR CAR CONSTRUCTON Earllt. Swanson, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Standard Railway Devices Company, a corporation of Delaware Application January 25, 1940; Serial No. 315,465

(Cl. 62-l7) 7 Claims.`

` This invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. The essential features of a refrigerator car are an insulated body `to prevent or retard ingress of `heat during warm weather and egress of heat during cold weather and a cooling means and a heating mea-ns to be used during warm and cold weather respectively.

This invention applies particularly to cars in which `the cooling means, preferably containers for water ice, eutectic ice, brine or dry ice, are` `to the cooling means from where the cycle is repeated. i

There are several types of refrigerant containers commonly `used in a` car oithis type. The containers may be foraminous when fresh water ice oreutectic ice is used, or partly foraininous and partly imperfcrate when it is desiredto retain all, or part, of the salt and melted refrigerant. Whollyimperforate containers. or containers substantially imperforate with a relative- `ly small number of small holes, may be provided when` it is desired to retain the melted refrigerant `or the brine which is formed by the. meltingof the refrigerant. Provisionis thus proe vided for the overflow of refrigerant from the containers. A liquid is also formed by the condensation of moisture from the circulating air upon` the cold surface of the refrigerant con-` tainer. This liquid from either oi the abovementioned sources is drained downwardly through the side wall flues tothe lower part of the car from which it must be disposed of.

`It is an object of the invention to dispose of `the liquid draining through the side wall flue and `to prevent the splashing of said liquid upwardly into the lading space, where it would cause considerable damage to the lading.

Another object of the invention is to provide a` deflecting means which functions to provide `a, smooth path for the `flow of circulating air frcmxtne side wall flue into the space under the oor rack, thereby increasing the refrigerating e'ciency by accelerating theflow of the refrigerated air. y

A further object of the invention is to provide ameans to receive the liquid from the side wall ue, whichmeans may be easily dismantled and cleaned. Ice, which is commonly used in refrigerator cars, often carries with it small particles of foreign matter which accompany the liquid down the sidewall flue and provisions must be made for removing these foreign particles from the interior of the car.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:`

liig.` 1 is a partial transverse section oi a refrigerator car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of a portion of 1 showing the liquid receiving means.

Fig. 3 shows a modified construction part of the car shown in Fig.2. l l

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 2` with the floor rack andperforatedplate swung upwardly for cleaning purposes.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. l

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 2 showof the ing modified constructions.

Fig. 8 is a modified design of part of the car shown in Fig. 5. The general parts of the refrigerator car shown are` insulated roof 2; side wall 3; floor 4; hatch 5; refrigerant container fi;` side wall ilue 1; foraminous floor rack 8 and space S `between rack 8 and floor 4. A refrigerant container 6 is positioned directly below the roof 2 and adjacent the side wall 3. A drip pan I2 is provided below the container 6 and a partition I4 is secured in an upstanding position at `the edge of the drip pan I2. The drip pan I2 and partition I4 cooperate with the roof` 2 and side wall 3 to forman enclosing structure II around the container 6, an air inlet opening I5 being` provided by spacing the partition I4 from the roof 2. An air discharge opening Il which leads to the flue I is formed. by spacing the drip pan I2 from the wall 3. Cars of this type commonly have a row of refrigerant containers E near each sidewall 3 and spaced apart at the center of the car. The partitions I4 are also spaced apart to form a duct I6 which communicates between the lading compartment I8 and openings I5.

` Air circulation is asfollows: Air in the lading compartment I8 is warmed by contact with the lading and rises through the duct l5 to enter the enclosing structures II through' the air inlet openings I5. The air is cooled by contact with the refrigerant containers 6 and falls by reason of its greater density through the discharge openings I1 and iiues 1 to the space 9 whence it rises through the rack 8 to the lading compartment I 8. The containers 6 may be provided with apertures I9 for overflow of liquid refrigerant.

The side wall construction of the car shown in Fig. 1 comprises inner 24 and outer 25 side plates; inner 21 and outer 28 sills; outer posts 30 extending between and secured to the outer plate 25 and outer sill 28 and inner posts 3| extending between and secured to the inner plate 24 and inner sill 21. A wooden iloor 33 extends between the inner side sills 21 on opposite sides of the carand is supported adjacent the sills by Z-shaped members 35 secured to the inwardly projecting legs 36 of the sills 21. A metal covering 38 may be provided for the wooden floor 33.

A trough 42 is formed substantially below the side wall flue 1 by ythe Z-shaped member 43, which trough 42 is defined by the inner side sill 21 and Z-shaped member 43. A plate 45, preferably metallic, is arranged to substantially cover the trough 42 and has relatively small apertures 46 therein so that any liquid draining from the flue 1 drains through the apertures 46 in the plate 45 and into the trough 42. The relatively small apertures 46 permit the liquid from the iiue 1 to drain into the trough 42 but prevent any substantial amount of liquid splashing from the trough 42 through the apertures 45 and into the lading space I8. The plate 45 is disposed concave upwardly todirect the circulating air in a smooth path into the space 9 under the floor rack 8 and has its lowest part 48 disposed over the trough 42 so that liquid draining onto the plate 45 naturally flows to the lowest part 48 thereof and then drains into the trough 42. The upper, outer edge 50 of the plate 45 is bent and rebent; the rebent part 52 being disposed in a pocket 53 formed between the retaining member 55 and the inner sill 21. 'I'his arrangement forms a floating hinge 56 about which the plate 45 may be swung upwardly. The opposite edges 58 of the plate 45 preferably rests upon the Z-shaped member 43 and is held in this position by stringers 60 of the floor rack 8 resting thereon.

When it is desired to clean the plate 45 or the trough 42, the floor rack 8 is swung upwardly against the side wall lining l|53, as shown in Fig. 4, and the plate 45 may then also be swung upwardly as also shown in Fig. 4 for cleaning purposes.

A drain V66, which may be water sealed if desired, is provided through the floor 4 of the car at any location desired. preferably at a substantial distance from the trough 42. A conduit 61 is` provided above the iloor 4 of the car leading from the trough 42 to the drain 66 as shown in Fig. l. Fig. shows a cross section of the conduit 61 shown Vin Fig. l, which conduit consists of an open channel 69 having the upper edges 10 thereof bent inwardly and downwardly to prevent liquid splashing from the conduit 61 through the floor rack 8 and into the lading compartment I3.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the conduit 13 is completely enclosed to prevent splashing into the lading compartment I8.

Fig. 6 shows' a modification in which the plate 15 is unattached to the car structure but one edge 16 thereofV rests `upon the Z-shaped member 18 and the plate 15 is held in this position by the nnger 19 secured to the floor rack Stringer 8| and projecting therefrom.

Fig, '1 shows a modification in which the plate is attached by means of a floating hinge 86 as described in reference to Fig. 1. An angle shaped member 88 is provided in place of the Z- shaped member 43 of Fig. 1 and the inner, lower edge 89 of the plate 85 is formed with a downwardly facing channel 9| arranged to overlie the upstanding leg 92 of the angle 88 and thereby form a water-tight seal. The edge 89 of the plate 85 may have a horizontal flange 94 arranged tounderlie the floor rack stringers 95 and thus be held rigidly in position.

Fig. 3 shows a plate |00 similar to that described in reference to Fig. 6, adapted to a car in which the side wall ue 1 is formed between the lining IOI of the car and a metallic sheet |03 having a panel |04 pressed therein. In this arrangement the perforated plate |00 is not directly below the iiue 1 but liquid drained through the flue 1 is directed upon the perforated plate |00 by the sloping margin |06 of the panel |04.

In order to prevent liquid retained in .the troughv 42 from surging lengthwise of the car, baille plates IIIJ may be provided depending in a substantially vertical plane from the perforated plate 45, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 4 and 5.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having a wall and a floor, refrigerating means adjacent the upper part of said wall, a vertical flue associated with spaced relation thereto and a foraminous sheathing provided with relatively small apertures arranged to substantially cover said trough, said sheathing being arranged to swing upwardly, said rack having a part arranged to overlie a part of said sheathing to hold the sheathing in its covering position.

2. In a refrigerator car having a lading compartment defined in part by a wall and a floor, refrigerating means adjacent the upper part of said wall, a vertical iiue associated with said wall and adapted to conduct air and liquid from said means to the lower part of the car, a trough associated with said floor adjacent the lower end of said flue and arranged to receive liquid from said flue and a foraminous sheathing provided with relatively small apertures arranged to substantially cover -said trough, said sheathing being formed to direct said air into the lading compartment.

3. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls, roof and floor which enclose a lading compartment, refrigerating means in the upper part of the car adjacent one of said walls, a trough associated with said iioor, iiue means associated with said last mentioned wall and arranged to conduct liquid from said refrigerating means to the lowerI part of the car, and a plate overlying said trough, said plate having a plurality of small apertures thereby permitting relatively small quantities of liquid from said flue means to filter into said trough and at the same time preventing relatively large quantities of liquid from splashing out of said trough into said lading compartment during movements of the car.

4. In a. refrigerator car having spaced apart-l walls, roof and floor which enclose a lading compartment, refrigerating means in the upper part of the car adjacent one of said walls, a trough associated with said floor, flue means associated with said last mentioned wall and arranged to conduct liquid from said rerigerating means to the lower part of the car, and an upwardly concave plate overlying said trough, said plate permitting relatively small quantities of liquid from said flue means to lter into said trough and at the same time preventing relatively large quantities of liquid from splashing out of said trough into said lading compartment during movements of the car.

5. A structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said sheathing has its lowest part included between the edges thereof, said lowest part overlying said trough.

6. Alstructure as defined in claim 3 including spaced apart baffles depending from said sheathing to prevent surging of liquid in said trough.

7. In a refrigerator car having a wall and a floor, refrigerating means adjacent the upper part of the Wall. a trough associated with said floor, ue means associated with said wall and arranged to conduct liquid from said refrigerat- 

